Ashes and Snow in Santa Monica

Ashes to Snow is an installation that showcases Gregory Colbert’s photography and videos inside a temporary architecture made out of shipping containers designed by architect Shigeru Ban.

I didn’t want to pay the $7 parking fee and $15 admission to see it, however, Cha Cha Chicken called my hand. I’m addicted to their cuban jerk chicken enchiladas and they’re located almost next door, too close to avoid.

Embarrassingly, I liked it, and recommend seeing it before it leaves for Italy on May 14. The money is worth the unique architecture alone. The images and videos bleed with over-the-top Disney spirituality, but I dare you to resist the video of a man swimming under a swimming elephant, its tremendous feet gracefully arching across the top of the screen.

You’ll have to forgive the audio, which contains narration that drones phrases like, “The door was open and the door was closed.” There are many elements to Colbert’s work that are insensitive to the contemporary vogue. However, it’s clear that he is not appealing to curators or critics, and judging by the crowd I had to fight to see his work–I’ve never seen so many people enjoy video art–only a fool would say his work has no value.